Was told I'm "average" by an advisor...is she right?

[happyfeet1292]

Hi all,
So I went in to speak to a pre-health advisor at my university the other day about my application and hopefully applying to medical schools this summer. She basically said that my application is average and nothing out of the ordinary, and highly encouraged me to take a gap year which I'm unsure if I even want to do or can afford. Am I really average? And if I am, where could I look to strengthen my app? (I'm hoping to apply to a few top-tier schools - Columbia would be a dream)

3.8 cGPA, 3.65 sGPA
Haven't taken the MCAT yet, but am hopeful I'll be in the mid-30's (have been taking practice exams and scoring in the 30's with 2.5 months of study left)

EC's
- Shadowing - 52 hours, 3 docs (2 MD, 1 DO)
- Volunteering - Will be around 150 hours hospital volunteering by the time I apply
- Study group leader (led a group of 15 students each week in a guided 2 hour discussion/application of course material) and individually tutored students with a vested interest in the sciences but required tutoring (4-5hours/week, 1 year)
- Volunteer tutoring (2 hours/week, 1 year)
- Research at a lab at my university (10 hours/week for 2 years, hopefully will get a publication at the end of this year)
- SURP research participant (40 hours/week, 10 weeks over the summer)
- Peer tutor for my university's writing center (5 hours/week, 1 year) - very difficult to do, you must be recommended by a professor to be considered
- Helped to found a pre-medical organization and am currently vice president
- Sorority member

I also may be a summer orientation leader for my university this coming summer (I hear back really soon on whether or not I got the gig)

Thanks in advance.

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[Nymphicus]

Decently average. I don't think you "have to" take a gap year.

It all boils down to your MCAT now though. Without it these are all just guesses in the air.

 

[darkjedi]

It will honestly depend on your MCAT. If you blow your MCAT out of the water (36+) then you will no longer be merely average, and definitely a contender for some of the top-tiers.

That said, I would highly recommend you listen to your adviser in regards to a gap year. If you use your time wisely, you can improve your application dramatically. The extra year between college and medical school will also give you an opportunity to decompress and live life a little.

Even without a gap year, I would still recommend you do something meaningful with some of the non-medically related hobbies/interests that I'm sure you have. Applications now are all about setting yourself apart from the competition, and having unique interests is one way of doing that.

 

[JBOB]

My ECs looked almost identical to yours and I have been successful this cycle (even at top tiers) without taking a gap year. I really don't think you need to take an extra year if you don't want to.

 

[squat]

Don't take a gap year, but do apply to a variety of schools. If you go too top heavy, you might end up smacking yourself.

 

[MedPR]

Hi all,
So I went in to speak to a pre-health advisor at my university the other day about my application and hopefully applying to medical schools this summer. She basically said that my application is average and nothing out of the ordinary, and highly encouraged me to take a gap year which I'm unsure if I even want to do or can afford. Am I really average? And if I am, where could I look to strengthen my app? (I'm hoping to apply to a few top-tier schools - Columbia would be a dream)

3.8 cGPA, 3.65 sGPA
Haven't taken the MCAT yet, but am hopeful I'll be in the mid-30's (have been taking practice exams and scoring in the 30's with 2.5 months of study left)

EC's
- Shadowing - 52 hours, 3 docs (2 MD, 1 DO)
- Volunteering - Will be around 150 hours hospital volunteering by the time I apply
- Study group leader (led a group of 15 students each week in a guided 2 hour discussion/application of course material) and individually tutored students with a vested interest in the sciences but required tutoring (4-5hours/week, 1 year)
- Volunteer tutoring (2 hours/week, 1 year)
- Research at a lab at my university (10 hours/week for 2 years, hopefully will get a publication at the end of this year)
- SURP research participant (40 hours/week, 10 weeks over the summer)
- Peer tutor for my university's writing center (5 hours/week, 1 year) - very difficult to do, you must be recommended by a professor to be considered
- Helped to found a pre-medical organization and am currently vice president
- Sorority member

I also may be a summer orientation leader for my university this coming summer (I hear back really soon on whether or not I got the gig)

Thanks in advance.

How strong your app is will depend a lot on your MCAT score. Unless you are in the mid thirties, you will be an average (or worse) applicant.

 

[I Love Cats]

Hi all,
So I went in to speak to a pre-health advisor at my university the other day about my application and hopefully applying to medical schools this summer. She basically said that my application is average and nothing out of the ordinary, and highly encouraged me to take a gap year which I'm unsure if I even want to do or can afford. Am I really average? And if I am, where could I look to strengthen my app? (I'm hoping to apply to a few top-tier schools - Columbia would be a dream)

3.8 cGPA, 3.65 sGPA
Haven't taken the MCAT yet, but am hopeful I'll be in the mid-30's (have been taking practice exams and scoring in the 30's with 2.5 months of study left)

EC's
- Shadowing - 52 hours, 3 docs (2 MD, 1 DO)
- Volunteering - Will be around 150 hours hospital volunteering by the time I apply
- Study group leader (led a group of 15 students each week in a guided 2 hour discussion/application of course material) and individually tutored students with a vested interest in the sciences but required tutoring (4-5hours/week, 1 year)
- Volunteer tutoring (2 hours/week, 1 year)
- Research at a lab at my university (10 hours/week for 2 years, hopefully will get a publication at the end of this year)
- SURP research participant (40 hours/week, 10 weeks over the summer)
- Peer tutor for my university's writing center (5 hours/week, 1 year) - very difficult to do, you must be recommended by a professor to be considered
- Helped to found a pre-medical organization and am currently vice president
- Sorority member

I also may be a summer orientation leader for my university this coming summer (I hear back really soon on whether or not I got the gig)

Thanks in advance.

That's interesting. Your EC's are I think sufficient, but by no means excessive in a beneficial way, but definitely sufficient. Your cGPA is above average, sGPA about average, and your MCAT sounds like it's coming along in an above average manner. I feel like you're coming along to be slightly above average, unless you murder your test. Heck no to a gap year as long as your MCAT ends up at least average.

All my opinion.

 

[V5RED]

Above average GPA, Average BCPM, good ECs, and she wants you to take a gap year? (note: by average I mean average for people that actually get in, so there are plenty of people getting in every year with lower stats than yours)

Those great charts that sector9 made show someone with your grades and projected MCAT score to have ~80%-90% shot of getting in.

I can't imagine why you would take a gap year.

 

[GorillaPanic]

Taking a gap year (well, two actually) was the best decision I ever made. I highly recommend it anyway.

But I agree with everyone that a score of 34 or higher will make you pretty competitive.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi all,
So I went in to speak to a pre-health advisor at my university the other day about my application and hopefully applying to medical schools this summer. She basically said that my application is average and nothing out of the ordinary, and highly encouraged me to take a gap year which I'm unsure if I even want to do or can afford. Am I really average? And if I am, where could I look to strengthen my app? (I'm hoping to apply to a few top-tier schools - Columbia would be a dream)

3.8 cGPA, 3.65 sGPA
Haven't taken the MCAT yet, but am hopeful I'll be in the mid-30's (have been taking practice exams and scoring in the 30's with 2.5 months of study left)

EC's
- Shadowing - 52 hours, 3 docs (2 MD, 1 DO)
- Volunteering - Will be around 150 hours hospital volunteering by the time I apply
- Study group leader (led a group of 15 students each week in a guided 2 hour discussion/application of course material) and individually tutored students with a vested interest in the sciences but required tutoring (4-5hours/week, 1 year)
- Volunteer tutoring (2 hours/week, 1 year)
- Research at a lab at my university (10 hours/week for 2 years, hopefully will get a publication at the end of this year)
- SURP research participant (40 hours/week, 10 weeks over the summer)
- Peer tutor for my university's writing center (5 hours/week, 1 year) - very difficult to do, you must be recommended by a professor to be considered
- Helped to found a pre-medical organization and am currently vice president
- Sorority member

I also may be a summer orientation leader for my university this coming summer (I hear back really soon on whether or not I got the gig)

Thanks in advance.

IMO, your clinically-related experiences and peer leadership look average, but your Teaching and Research involvement are above average. I can't judge the nonmedical community service as you don't specify who you tutored/whether it occurred off campus/whether it helped someone with poor economic resources. You don't mention hobbies or artistic endeavors which tend to help set one apart. Overall, though, I'd judge that while it's not Columbia-worthy, your application would be fine for general purposes..

 

[Eiot]

Overall I'd say you look above average to me.

 

[happyfeet1292]

The volunteer tutoring was through an off-campus organization, and was basically drop-in tutoring for any students that wanted help with homework. I'm not really sure of the background of many of the students - some came from Ann Arbor (nicer area) and some came from Ypsilanti (less privileged area). I'm also looking to maybe get involved with hospice volunteering this summer.

In terms of hobbies/artistic endeavors, I'm not very artistically inclined or anything like that. I've played on a few IM sports teams and played sports in high school, and I really enjoy reading. I'm not sure of anything else that's unique to me though

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I don't think I'm going to take a gap year. I'm just going to continue to study hard for the MCAT, write some great AMCAS essays and apply broadly while hoping for the best.

 

[Silverflash]

My two cents:

Apply this cycle - Good amount of II's from mid-tier schools.
Gap year, apply next cycle - II's from top tier schools.

Obviously it varies wildly, especially among the top tiers, but I would look at it this way: if you're willing to wait a year to apply (and willing to give up a year of physician salary), I think your app could be good enough to get you into a top tier, assuming you interview well. If you want to apply now, though, do it. You'll almost certainly get in somewhere. Maybe not a reach school, but probably not a safety either.

This is, of course, contingent on a solid MCAT score. Your app looks somewhat similar to mine; I have a higher GPA and sGPA, but your EC's are better. And if it helps, I'm not going to worry too much about top tiers and instead apply this cycle, shooting for a mid tier/upper-mid tier.

 

[WaylonS]

Three things

Many, but not all people, score higher on their practice MCATs than on the actual test

If you go to the University of Michigan, your GPA is great; if you're at Eastern Michigan, then you GPA is not so impressive

Taking two years off (especially if you're going to do research or a service program like TFA) can really strengthen your application. But it's not just about strengthening your application: taking time off will allow you to mature in the real world and give you the opportunity to enjoy your early 20s. I've never met anyone who regretted taking time off, however, I have met plenty of people who wish they had.

 

[Goro]

For starters, your cGPA is above avg, and the sGPA is slightly above. ECs look avg. Ask yourself this: "what make me so special that I should be in X school"?

Suggest something that shows your altruism.

Hi all,
So I went in to speak to a pre-health advisor at my university the other day about my application and hopefully applying to medical schools this summer. She basically said that my application is average and nothing out of the ordinary, and highly encouraged me to take a gap year which I'm unsure if I even want to do or can afford. Am I really average? And if I am, where could I look to strengthen my app? (I'm hoping to apply to a few top-tier schools - Columbia would be a dream)

3.8 cGPA, 3.65 sGPA
Haven't taken the MCAT yet, but am hopeful I'll be in the mid-30's (have been taking practice exams and scoring in the 30's with 2.5 months of study left)

EC's
- Shadowing - 52 hours, 3 docs (2 MD, 1 DO)
- Volunteering - Will be around 150 hours hospital volunteering by the time I apply
- Study group leader (led a group of 15 students each week in a guided 2 hour discussion/application of course material) and individually tutored students with a vested interest in the sciences but required tutoring (4-5hours/week, 1 year)
- Volunteer tutoring (2 hours/week, 1 year)
- Research at a lab at my university (10 hours/week for 2 years, hopefully will get a publication at the end of this year)
- SURP research participant (40 hours/week, 10 weeks over the summer)
- Peer tutor for my university's writing center (5 hours/week, 1 year) - very difficult to do, you must be recommended by a professor to be considered
- Helped to found a pre-medical organization and am currently vice president
- Sorority member

I also may be a summer orientation leader for my university this coming summer (I hear back really soon on whether or not I got the gig)

Thanks in advance.